2RDR Ep07 The Rainbow Down the Road
by Lantana75
Summary: In the 1950's; the Marston family deals with new technology, stereotypes, a world that rejects the disabled, and new family additions.
1. Chapter 1

Summer of 1950

"We are now officially retired from bounty-hunting," Jack told the court official as he accepted the payment for the man he had just turned over. "Irene and I are looking for a new career."

"With your expertise, you should go into gun-smithing," the man suggesting. "Both you and Irene. The gunsmith in town is also about to retire. You could take over the place."

"Harvey is retiring?," Jack asked. He knew the gunsmith very well and had done business with him many times.

"He's almost seventy," the man said.

"Don't remind me," Jack said. "I'm fifty-six. My wife is fifty-four. Our oldest child is twenty-nine and about to marry. Guess we're old, too."

Angela and Kevin were staying in her guest-house. They would be married in a small ceremony at the court-house like Jack and Irene had been. Only their immediate families would be there. They both figured that the quicker the ceremony was, the less likely that anything would go wrong.

Kassidy seemed quiet and bothered. She stayed in her bedroom most of the time. Nobody could figure out why.

Angela was worried about her baby sister, who was now twenty-five.

The twins, now the age of twenty-one, were trying to keep busy elsewhere. They spent most of their time in the woods, goofing off and avoiding responsibility.

As the sun went down one evening, Angela and Irene whipped together a quick supper. Kassidy did not come to the meal.

"What's going on with Kassidy?," Landon asked as he took a helping of mashed potatoes. "She's been really quiet and lonely lately."

"I don't know, Landon," Irene said. "I'll talk to her later."

Irene put down her fork and sighed. She stood up and left the room.

In Kassidy's room, she stepped into the door and closed it.

"Get out," Kassidy greeted rudely.

"Kassidy, don't talk to me like that," Irene said. She sat down. "I carried you in my body for nine months and it was not to be yelled at."

Kassidy was lying face-down on her bed. She turned over and sat up, calming herself down.

"What do you want, Mom?," Kassidy asked, some anger still in her voice.

"I wanna know what's happening," Irene said as she sat on the edge of the bed. "You haven't been yourself lately. You're not wanting to be around us and you refused to be Maid Of Honor for your sister."

"I don't want anywhere near that damn wedding," Kassidy said.

"Kassidy, talk to me," Irene said.

Kassidy finally started to cry. She pointed at her metal leg braces that allowed her to walk with crutches. "Look at me, Mom," she said. "Who's ever gonna want me?"

Irene hugged her daughter. "Oh, Kassidy," she said. "I do know what it's like to feel unwanted. I felt like that many times throughout my life. But your father loves me for me. You'll find somebody, Kassidy. I know you will. I believe there is some-one for everyone."

Kassidy hugged her mother. "I don't want to be alone all my life," she said. "I want a husband and children, just like all the other women. Is that asking too much?"

"Not at all," Irene replied. "You will find a good man one day."

Irene stayed with Kassidy until the young woman fell asleep. Irene placed the covers over her and left the room, turning off the light as she did left. She closed the door quietly.

Irene found Jack in bed, lying on his side with his head propped up on his hand. She laid down beside him and pulled the covers over herself.

"How's Kassidy?," Jack asked.

"She's lonely," Irene replied. "She's afraid that no man will ever want to marry her because she's disabled."

Jack sighed. "What do you think?," he asked.

"I think she will find a man who will love her like you love me," Irene replied.

Jack smiled. He laid down and got comfortable. "I just want all our kids to be happy," he said.

"We do all we can to assure that," Irene agreed.

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	2. Chapter 2

Kassidy sat in front of the television and watched Elvis Presley. The new music known as "rock-and-roll" was now popular and kids all over were going crazy over it. Elvis was the big deal now.

Jack and Irene preferred country music and loved the music of the great Johnny Cash. The nobody from Arkansas had become a widely popular country music artist.

Angela walked into the house. "Hey, it's Elvis!," she squealed like a teenager. She stood near her sister and danced with the music on the television.

"What about me?," Kevin asked. "Ain't I cuter than that weird guy?"

Angela hugged Kevin. "You are the most handsome man on the face of this planet," she said. She kissed him.

"No, Jack is the most handsome man on God's green earth," Irene smiled.

Once the television event was over, the family gathered for supper.

"Mom, Dad," Angela spoke up. "Kevin and I bought a house this afternoon. We wanted to surprise you. You saw those new houses they have been building by the Tall Trees River. We bought one of them. We'll be right closeby to this house."

North of Beecher's Hope and across the newly-paved road was a long rushing river called the Tall Trees River. It poured into Flat Iron Lake, which was to the east of Blackwater. Jack remembered that well. When he was sixteen, two federal agents had kidnapped him and his mother and held them on a government island while they sent his father on a dangerous mission. Jack seldom went into Blackwater. It had too many bad memories for him, especially when he was near the dock. He could see the island easily.

The island, called Horizon Hills, was still a private government island and there were many stories about what went on there now. People still spoke about "that Marston boy who was held there" many years ago and told their children and grandchildren about it. Jack wished this would stop, but he knew that was unlikely. His father had become a legend of the Wild West.

That night, Jack and Irene snuggled together in bed and relaxed.

"So, does the fact that our first baby is getting married make you feel old?," Jack asked Irene.

"No," Irene replied. "My father always said that age is what you make it. You can feel twenty-five at the age of fifty."

"Yeah, I guess so," Jack said. "But I am so tired."

"You and I have had a busy life," Irene said. "We've been very restless all our lives. And that's not likely to change, even though we're not bounty-hunting anymore."

"I don't wanna slow down," Jack replied. "I like being active."

"So do I," Irene agreed. "Do you think the gun-smithing is a good choice?"

"Who else is better qualified than you and me?," Jack asked.

"You have an excellent point," Irene agreed.

Irene was looking forward to the near future. She hoped that she and her family would be happy in their new ventures.

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	3. Chapter 3

Spring of 1952

Kassidy answered the telephone. "No, Dad ain't home right now," she said. "Can I take a message?" Kassidy listened and the smile soon left her face. "Oh, no," she said. "Yeah, I'll tell them as soon as they get home." She hung up the phone.

It was not much longer before Jack and Irene arrived home.

"Mom? Dad?" Kassidy approached her parents in the kitchen, which was now completely modern, and stopped in the center of the room. She looked at her parents. "Jessica just called," she said. "Bonnie died last night."

"Oh, no," Irene gasped. "Jack?"

"I'll call Jessica," Jack said. "We'll go to the ranch first thing in the morning."

The new highway had been built to go around the ranch, though a smaller road still went through the ranch and was still a dirt road. The family had flatly refused to sell their land, even going to court on several occasions. Now, Jessica and her family owned the land and the house. Over the past few months, Bonnie had been very sick. The illness had finally taken her. The high fever just refused to go away and Bonnie couldn't take anymore.

Jack barely slept that night. Bonnie had meant a lot to the Marston family, having saved John's life when Jack was sixteen. Thanks to her efforts, John was able to spend a few more weeks with his son before his sudden and unexpected death. Abigail and Jack had maintained a good friendship with her after John's passing.

The next day, Jack and Irene prepared to leave. Angela and Kevin came to the farm to stay with the others while the couple was gone. They would likely be gone at least one night, but likely more.

Jack and Irene left some instructions with Angela and the others, then gave out hugs. They then got into the car and Jack drove away.

When Jack and Irene arrived at the ranch; Jessica and her husband, Rusty, met them. Their three children, ranging from late teens to early twenties, were in the house. Noah, Rebecca, and Sarah were very quiet; but polite as the couple expressed their condolences.

Jack and Irene were shown by Jessica to the guest room. The couple began to unpack. Jack sat down on the bed and sighed.

"Jack, are you OK?," Irene asked. She stood in front of her man and put her arms around him as she looked down at him. He put his arms around her waist.

"Just thinking is all," Jack said. "It seems I'm losing everyone I love lately. I'm almost afraid that it will happen to you, too."

"Oh, Jack," Irene said as she put her hands on his face. "Bonnie was an old woman who was very sick. She lived a good long life. And she gave you a precious gift when she saved your father that day. What you need to do is celebrate her life."

Jack sighed and nodded. "I know," he said. "Promise me that's what you'll do when I die in the future."

"Just promise me that won't happen for a very long time," Irene replied.

Jack smiled and hugged her close, snuggling his face against her chest. "I love you," he said. "You're my reason for living."

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	4. Chapter 4

Summer of 1955

Irene turned up the volume on the radio. "I love this song," she smiled as Johnny Cash's "Cry, Cry, Cry" played. Irene and Kassidy cleaned up the dinner table. Jack and the twins had finished eating and were outside, target shooting. Although the days that Jack and Irene had known were gone, they were still teaching their children how to handle a gun safely. The entire family were also experienced hunters.

Jack refused to let those days be ripped away from him and his family completely. His family held onto some of the old ways: guns, hunting, and learning to ride a horse. The family now owned eleven horses and rode in Tall Trees often. The couple had been invited to speak in schools about their fathers and the Wild West for history classes, as well as speak in colleges about it.

The world the couple had known was gone, faded into the past. Now; cars, trucks, buses, and taxis shuttled people to their destinations. People flew in airplanes to reach faraway towns, cities, and states. Trains were still available, but fading in popularity. Amtrak was the new biggest passenger train service. Freight trains were now longer and sometimes pulled by more than one locomotive. The bright yellow Union Pacific locomotives were the most common.

What had happened to the world? Jack asked himself this question often. He wondered how his parents and Irene's father would have liked all this. Irene was sure Landon would have hated it. He was set in his ways and he had always taken pride in it. She was sure he would have loathed the modern world.

John had not liked his first ride in a "motorcar" in 1911. He had complained that it was too slow, uncomfortable, and unreliable. "Give me a horse any day" he had told Edgar Ross. However, cars then were slow and noisy. They only traveled around thirty miles-per-hour. Today, cars were very much faster. There were newer cars called "vans" and "station wagons" that were used by families with children. They sure were ugly. Irene swore she would never buy a station wagon.

"Mom, there's a new group in Blackwater," Kassidy said as she and her mother continued to clean. "It's for people like me with disabilities to meet one another and have fun together. I'll be with people who won't judge me and who will understand me. What do you think?"

"Well, it sounds good," Irene said.

"They have a van that can carry my wheelchair," Kassidy went on. "They'll come to the farm and pick me up and bring me back later and they meet twice a week. I want to meet these people."

"I think it's great, Kassidy," Irene said. "But you know how over-protective your father is."

"Yeah, I know," Kassidy said. "They meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from ten to four. Could you talk to Dad?"

"Yes, I will," Irene said. "We all need friends. It's just that your father has difficulty trusting because of what happened to his father. We told all of you about that. Plus, you were kidnapped when you were a baby. That also effects how protective Jack is of you more than your sister and brothers."

"Mom, I'm not a child anymore," Kassidy said. "I need to be able to be an adult and I need to get out more."

"I know," Irene said. "Kassidy, when you were born; people told Jack and me to put you into an institution. That's what many parents did when they had handicapped children. They were ashamed of children like you. But, your father and I loved you unconditionally and we refused to let stranger raise you in a warehouse. We were also partly inspired by the parents of Helen Keller, who also refused to institutionalize their blind and deaf daughter. She was born in June of 1880."

"I've read about her," Kassidy said. "She's really smart. They said she did everything people said she would never be able to do. She even lives by herself now."

"You can do the same thing," Irene said. "If we can get your father to relax, anyway."

Kassidy grinned.

"I'll talk to Jack tonight," Irene promised.

The women could still hear the gunshots outside.

That night, Kassidy went to bed. She really hoped that her father could lighten up and see that she was an adult and could take care of herself. She did indeed understand why it was so hard for him to trust people. People who had been sworn to uphold the law had betrayed her grandfather and gunned him down in cold blood. Other people in John's life and in Jack's life had betrayed the men.

"Please, God," Kassidy whispered. "Help my daddy see the light." Though the family had never been religious, Kassidy found herself praying often when she felt as if no-one else was listening. Irene had always believed in God. It seemed that Jack did, too, but he seemed to just ignore him. The rest of the family seemed quiet about it all.

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	5. Chapter 5

"Come on, Dad. I'm twenty-seven now," Kassidy said as she stared her father in the eye. "I am not seven or even seventeen. Let me go see these people. I need friends who understand me."

Jack, who was in a dining chair with the back against the wall, leaned forward and thought.

"Dad, I know why it's so hard for you," Kassidy said. "I know about the people who betrayed Grandpa and betrayed you. But, that was all a long time ago. Maybe it's time you tried to trust again?"

Jack sighed. "It's not easy for me, Kassidy," he said as he took her hands. "You kids and your mother are the only ones, besides my own parents, who I ever felt loved me at all. I couldn't stand losing any of you. It was so hard on me when my own parents died."

"I know, Dad," Kassidy said. She hugged her father. "I am so sorry for all those things you had to endure. But you've been so strong to have come through them so well. You love Mom, you love us, and you've raised us all so well. That's what you need to concentrate on. Not the bad stuff. Remember how much your mom and dad loved you, not how they died." She rested her head on Jack's shoulder. "I love you so much, Daddy," she said. "I wish I could take away all the pain you're in."

"You all do just that," Jack said. He looked Kassidy in the eye. "I want you to let me know, at all times, where you'll be with these people. You promise me that, Kassidy."

"I will, Daddy," Kassidy replied. She hugged Jack again. "I love you."

Tuesday morning, Kassidy woke up excited. Jack was not so excited, but he knew that she needed friends also. Kassidy ate a quick breakfast and waited for the van. Jack waited with her on the front porch. After awhile, the blue and white van arrived. They could see a few people already in the vehicle. One was obviously in a wheelchair.

Jack felt his heart thumping as he watched the driver operate the hydraulic lift to raise Kassidy and her wheelchair into the van. The wheelchair was then locked with large brackets to keep it from rolling around as the van moved. Deep inside, Jack wanted to change his mind and keep his daughter home. But, he knew he could not shelter her forever.

Helen Keller was completely independent, despite being both blind and deaf. Jack knew Kassidy would have to do the same thing. He would not live forever; neither would Irene. Jack watched nervously as the van left his property. Had he made the right decision?

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	6. Chapter 6

Summer 1958

"Kassidy is so happy, Jack," Irene smiled as she put down her book and sat back on the sofa. Jack sat next to her. "She has friends who really understand her."

"I was concerned, at first, to be honest," Jack said.

"I know, baby," Irene said. "It's harder to let go of Kassidy since she's more limited than our other kids. But, she can't be waited on hand and foot."

"I know," Jack replied. "Sometimes, I just want to shackle Kassidy to me and keep her in my sight twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week."

"She's very intelligent, Jack," Irene said. "And she's so strong. She will be fine. I know that."

"I heard her praying last night," Jack said.

"She does that a lot," Irene said. "She was afraid to tell you since you weren't raised religious. She just feels like she needs somebody else to listen sometimes. She does believe in God. Don't take that from her."

"No, I won't do that," Jack said. "Look, I don't doubt that God may be real, but what's he done for me? My father was betrayed by people who are sworn to uphold the law, then he was gunned down on his own land like a rabid dog, my mother dies just three years later, I almost lose this land several times, and I can't get a decent career."

"Jack, things happen," Irene said. "Edgar Ross made his decision to bring those soldiers to kill your father. God didn't do that; Ross did it. Your mother got sick from catching it from another person and that's the fault of the person who went out in public when they should have been at home. The city officials are the ones who keep trying to take Beecher's Hope from you and this family. Blame people for their own decisions, Jack. That's where the blame lies."

Jack sighed. "Yeah, I guess," he said. "I still can't forgive Ross, no matter what."

"Don't worry about him," Irene said. "He's dead. And don't let him rob you of your happiness. If you do, he wins."

"Yeah," Jack said. However, the day of his father's death still haunted him and he still had nightmares about it from time to time.

Irene understood. Her father had been shot in an almost similar fashion. However, Landon had died in her arms with his wide eyes staring at her. She had watched as his life faded in her arms and then she had closed his eyes, never to the love in them again.

Jack had often credited Irene for giving him a new reason to be happy and for showing him it was OK to live again and to smile again. She had shown him that he would not be dishonoring his parents by living a happy life. In fact, he had realized that his parents would have wanted him to be happy and to have a great life. He was indeed doing just that; a beautiful wife, beautiful kids, a career that he had loved, and a wonderful home.

"I just don't know how I would take it if anything happened to any one of you," Jack told Irene. "You and the kids are my reason for living. I was a wreck when I met you. You really brought me back to life. I was almost to a point that I didn't care if I lived or died. You gave me a reason to live and showed me that being happy and living a life was what both my parents would have wanted."

"Jack, your mother and father would not have wanted you to waste your life," Irene said. "And you have honored their memory. I hope you will keep honoring that memory. If they could come back for just five minutes, I know they would tell you they are proud of you. I know my father would, too."

"And your father died right in your arms," Jack recalled.

"I still lose sleep over that," Irene admitted. "That look in his eyes in the last few minutes of his life. I watched the light go out and that's still with me now. But, you and the kids are a force in keeping that in the back of my mind. I love my family. I am so blessed to have every one of you in my life."

Over the next several weeks, Kassidy seemed so happy. She talked about all her new friends often and seemed excited about meeting them every week. She seemed to be happier than Jack and Irene had ever seen her. They were happy about that, although still a little apprehensive.

Many public places and sidewalks were not suitable for a wheelchair or for most disabilities. The man-made world was built for able-bodied people who could see, hear, and walk. Irene often wondered why people were not thinking. They didn't seem to care that some people did come into the world with a perfect body. The word "normal" was commonly used and seemed to be what everyone sought.

What is normal? There are many lifestyles; people who were wealthy, people who were poor, people who were middle class; there were people who are nobodies, people who were famous, and people who had a short time of fame and lost it.

Jack and Irene were moderately famous. They were still known as the son of John Marston and daughter of Landon Ricketts. Were they normal?

One afternoon, the van brought Kassidy home. After she got off the bus, a young man followed. He walked on crutches and had big leg braces. He had shoulder-length light-brown hair and green eyes. He was quite handsome.

The young man followed Kassidy into the house. Kassidy's new blue-and-silver wheelchair was better than the old wooden ones that had been around when she was a child, but was still heavy and clumsy.

"Kassidy, who is your visitor?," Irene asked as she greeted her daughter with a hug.

"Mom, this is Shawn Dixon," Kassidy said. "He asked me for a date and I said he needed to meet you and dad first. Sam agreed to drive us for our date and bring us home afterward."

"Who is Sam?," Kassidy asked.

"The van driver," Irene said. She paused. "Mom, this is the life I have been dreaming of," she said. "Please give Shawn a chance."

Irene smiled. "Of course I will," she replied. She looked at Shawn. "It's nice to meet you, Shawn," she said.

As Shawn and Kassidy sat at the kitchen table, Jack returned home with the twins.

Irene hugged Jack. "Come to the kitchen," Irene said. "Kassidy and I want you to meet somebody."

In the kitchen, Irene and Kassidy introduced Jack to Shawn. Jack was wary, which the family expected. The twins were also cautious, very protective of their sister. She had been bullied in school and stared at and mocked in public. They had always come to her defense. Many people in town now knew not to do these things anymore. They knew that Jack was extremely protective of his children, even though they were grown now.

Kassidy would never completely escape the stares and points, especially from children. Parents just were not teaching them. She did have more patience with children. After all, they did not understand things the same way that adults did. She just wished parents taught their kids better. People associated wheelchairs with the elderly and were often shocked to see a young person, especially a child, using a wheelchair. The large metal braces on Kassidy's legs screamed to be noticed also. A rack on the back of the wheelchair held her crutches when she was not using them.

Kassidy had learned to ignore the stares. It did grow worse when she was with her new friends. A group of people, many in wheelchairs or on crutches, obviously drew attention.

Irene was angry that people just assumed that the disabled were always sad, depressed, and bored. People taught their children that being disabled was so sad, as if it were a life-threatening thing. They told their children that people like Kassidy and Shawn spent their time crying and wishing they were "normal."

Irene liked Shawn a lot. She liked that Kassidy seemed so happy with him and that they had so many common interests. Jack was happy for his daughter, also, but more cautious. Irene tried to help him relax, knowing of his lifelong distrust of people. His lack of trust was mainly with the government and law enforcement. They had killed his father like he was no more than a rabid dog. Obviously, Irene was aware of this and she had helped him so much. He was no longer depressed, but still seemed to have symptoms of the Post Traumatic Stress. Now, there were treatments for this, but Jack refused to seek any. He had been dealing with this for forty years. Could these counselors really do anything new for him?

Jack and Irene sat on their front porch and watched the sun go down behind the trees. The cool breeze rustled their long hair and played with their clothes. They held hands.

"What do you think of Shawn?," Jack asked.

"I like him," Irene replied. "He makes Kassidy so happy. Just like Kevin does for Angela and you do for me. Doesn't everyone have the right to be happy? To find that person who makes them happy?"

"God knows you worked miracles for me," Jack said.

"Maybe God wants Kassidy and Sawn to be together for a reason," Irene said. "I know you're not religious, but Kassidy is. She keeps a Bible under her pillow. I promised that I wouldn't tell, but I think you need to know and I hope you won't take this away from her."

"No, I won't do that," Jack promised. "But don't expect me to pray or to read that Bible."

"Nobody is gonna force either, Jack," Irene said. "Just keep an open mind. My father believed in God. He believed right up until he drew his last breath. I could see him praying, asking God for forgiveness."

"Do you think he was forgiven?," Jack asked.

"I dearly hope so," Irene replied.

Jack squeezed her hand. "If Shawn really is the good man you say, I will gladly welcome him with open arms," Jack said. "But if he hurts my little girl, even a small scratch, I will shoot him."

Irene was not surprised. This was how Jack had grown up.

"I really think Shawn is a good person," Irene said. "I think we should give him a fair chance. He makes our daughter so happy."

"Where are they anyway?," Jack asked.

"With Angela and Kevin," Irene replied. "They're having dinner at their house. Kevin will drive them back later."

"Sounds good," Jack said.

"I wonder if Angela and Kevin plan any children soon," Irene said. "Do you think we're ready to be grandparents? Those kids, we can spoil all we want."

Jack chuckled.

"Grandparents have a secret weapon: send them home," Irene joked with a smile. "We can buy them all the noisy toys ever made and then send them home. We can feed them all the sugary junk food and send them home."

Jack managed a laugh. "Then, they'll never let us see the kids again," he smiled.

"No, that's not how we raised her," Irene replied. "She'll never keep them from us. We're semi-retired and bored. We need something to look forward to."

"I'm not a person to take up a hobby," Jack said.

"Well, you own the gunsmith now," Irene said.

"It's just slower now," Jack said. "All these damned gun laws that are in place. Things were better when we were kids and young adults. These damned politicians were not taking away our second-amendment rights."

"They think the criminals will obey the laws and that's so not how it works," Irene said. "They're criminals because they don't obey the law."

Jack sighed. "I miss when we were kids," he said. "People think our time was just people shooting at each other. But, that's not what really happened."

"Yeah, I'm glad we talk to schools and colleges about it so we can tell them what really happened then," Irene pointed out. "I think it's best that people learn the truth. I really hate all these westerns that people are watching. This cowboys-and-Indians is so untrue."

"Yeah," Jack said. "My father never had any trouble with Indians. He told me most of his friends were actually Indians. They were the ones who kept their promises. The ones he did have trouble with were with Dutch's gang. There was one man named Nastas. Pa said he was really a good person and he was angry when Nastas was shot and killed by Dutch's gang. He made it a point to retrieve the body later and give him a proper burial."

"That's good," Irene said.

Jack sighed. "My father was a good person," he said. "He was misled by Dutch. That's all that happened then."

"My father just fell into that life," Irene said. "He never meant to be the way he was. He redeemed himself by protecting the people of Chuparosa. And he did just that until they finally got some law enforcement there."

"I think both of our fathers redeemed themselves," Irene said. "I think they both died in peace. And I think they are both resting in peace and always will."

"I do hope so," Jack said with a sigh. "God, I hope so."

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	7. Chapter 7

The ringing telephone woke Jack up. He looked at the clock. "It's almost two in the morning," he complained. He sat up, calmed himself down, and answered the phone. After a brief pause, he exclaimed, "What? When?" As he listened, Jack reached back and shook his wife awake. Irene sat up.

"We'll be right there," Jack said. He slammed down the phone and looked at Irene. "There's been an accident," he said. "Irene, Kevin, Shawn, and Angela are in the hospital."

"Oh, my God," Irene said.

Irene and Jack threw some clothes on and hurried out to the car. Jack drove to the hospital. There, Angela was in the waiting room. She had only a broken arm. She started to cry and ran to her parents. They all hugged.

"What happened?," Jack asked.

"Some guy ran a stop sign and hit us," Angela said. "He took off before the police got there. Kassidy and Shawn were in the backseat." Angela started to cry. "I couldn't help them, Daddy," she wailed. "I couldn't get to them. If they're dead, I am so sorry."

"Hush," Irene said as she hugged Angela. "None of this is your fault; none of it."

The entire family waited for the doctor. It seemed to be hours before a doctor found the family.

"You're the family of Kassidy Marston, right?," the doctor asked. "I'm Doctor Singer. I have been in charge of her care here. She will survive her injuries."

Sighs of relief came from the entire family.

"She has a broken collarbone, three broken ribs, and a broken arm," the doctor continued. "We'll keep her here overnight for observation and you can take her home tomorrow. Her friend, Shawn, is still unconscious, but we believe he will wake up soon. His parents are all the way in Rathskeller Fork, but they have been informed. He was sent here to an institution by them years ago, according to Kassidy. I don't know if they're coming."

"We'll be here for him," Irene said. "If he needs us, we're here."

True to their word, Jack and Irene were there for Shawn. They visited him daily, even after taking Kassidy home. Irene visited more than Jack did, but that was because Jack had a fear of hospitals. He had always asked Irene to be sure he did not die in one. He wanted to die at home, surrounded by family; not in a hospital, surrounded by strangers.

Kassidy stayed with Shawn as often as visiting hours would allow. She loved him so much.

One afternoon, Kassidy fell asleep leaning on the hospital bed. Shawn stroked her hair and thought for a long time. A nurse walked in and was quickly and gently hushed by Shawn. She smiled, winked, and nodded. She quietly changed the IV bottle that delivered pain-killers to Shawn and left the room.

Kassidy woke up several minutes later. "I'm sorry," she said. "I shouldn't have fallen asleep."

"No, don't be sorry," Shawn said. "It's all OK." He watched as she sat up and got comfortable in her wheelchair. "Kassidy, let's get married when I get outta this place," he said. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you and take care of you."

Kassidy smiled. Was this too good to be true?

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	8. Chapter 8

Jack and Irene finished nailing the final board that made the new ramp to the guest-house that Angela once lived in. It was hard for people like Shawn and Kassidy to find jobs. With little accessibility and few business owners with open minds, the options were limited. Their newly married daughter and son-in-law would live with them. They would do odd jobs to buy their own groceries and such.

"I wish people would give them a fair chance," Irene complained. "I know that Shawn and Kassidy would work hard if given the chance. They are good people."

"This world is not fair, Irene," Jack replied. "You and I know that better than anyone. Why should our children have it any easier?"

"Change is supposed to make things better, Jack," Irene retorted. "With all this new technology we have now, you'd think they could find a way for the disabled to live better lives and be able to do many things that you and I can do. Kassidy's legs don't work. Her brain works. Her hands work. The rest of her works."

Jack sighed. "We see that because we raised her," he said. "They only see a poor little girl who can't walk. They don't see the bright, intelligent, and willing woman we see."

Deep down, Irene knew that Jack was right. All people saw was a pathetic woman who could not use her legs. Kassidy had taught herself well, making sure that she was as unlimited as possible. But, the people that were building things were not thinking of those like her at all. There were stairs everywhere that she had to be carried up, wheelchair and all, and some places she could not even get into.

Jack and Irene felt sadness for this. They knew that Kassidy could do so much if given the chance. The decade was fading fast and they could only hope that new decade, the 1960's, would be better. They hoped that there would be changes that would allow their daughter and son-in-law to live full, productive, and independent lives.

Were their hopes too high?

END

Author's Notes:

Events of the 1950's

In the 1950's America was the center of covert and overt conflict between the Soviet Union and the United States. Their varying collusion with national, populist, and elitist interests destabilized the region. The United States CIA orchestrated the overthrow of the Guatemalan government in 1954. In 1958 the military dictatorship of Venezuela was overthrown. This continued a pattern of regional revolution and warfare making extensive use of ground forces.

In 1957, Dr. François Duvalier came to power in an election in Haiti. He later declared himself president for life, and ruled until his death in 1971.

In 1959, Alaska (3 January) and Hawaii (21 August) becomes in new states of United States.

Albert Einstein died April 18, 1955, at age 76. Tissues from his brain were distributed among scientists around the world. It has been commonly believed that his brain was different than "normal" brains and the reason for his genius.

In 1959 Fidel Castro overthrew the regime of Fulgencio Batista in Cuba, establishing a communist government in the country. Although Castro initially sought aid from the US, he was rebuffed and later turned to the Soviet Union.

Brasília was built in 41 months, from 1956, and on April 21, 1960, became the capital of Brazil.

On 18 January 1951 Mount Lamington erupted in Papua New Guinea, killing 3,000 people.

On 31 January 1953 the North Sea flood of 1953 killed 1,835 people in the southwestern Netherlands and 307 in the United Kingdom.

On 11 October 1954 Hurricane Hazel crossed over Haiti, killing 1,000.

On 19 August 1955 Hurricane Diane hit the northeastern United States, killing over 200 people, and causing over $1 billion in damage.

On 27 June 1957 Hurricane Audrey demolished Cameron, Louisiana, US, killing 400 people.

On 2 December 1959, Malpasset Dam in southern France collapsed and water flowed over the town of Frejus, killing 412.

On 12 March 1950 an Avro Tudor plane carrying a rugby team crashed in Wales, killing 80 people.

On 10 January 1954 BOAC Flight 781, a new de Havilland Comet jetliner, disintegrated in mid-air due to structural failure and crashed off the Italian coast, killing all 35 on board.

On 30 June 1956 a United Airlines DC-7 and a Trans World Airlines Lockheed Constellation collided above the Grand Canyon in Arizona, killing all 128 people on board both aircraft.

On 25 July 1956 the Italian ocean liner SS Andrea Doria collided with the Swedish ocean liner MS Stockholm off the Nantucket, Massachusetts coastline. 51 people were killed and the Andrea Doria sank the next morning.

On 21 April 1958, a mid-air collision between United Airlines Flight 736 and a USAF fighter jet killed 49 people.

On 14 August 1958, a KLM Lockheed Super Constellation crashed off the coast of Ireland, killing all 99 people aboard.

Charles H. Townes builds the Maser in 1953 at the Columbia University.

The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite to orbit the earth on October 4, 1957.

The United States conducts its first hydrogen bomb explosion test.

Passenger jets enter service.

The U.S uses Federal prisons, mental institutions, and pharmilogical testing volunteers to test drugs like LSD and chlorpromazine. Also started experimenting with the transorbital lobotomy.

Francis Crick and James Watson discover the double-helix structure of DNA.

An immunization vaccine is produced for polio.

The first successful ultrasound test of the heart activity.

President Harry S. Truman inaugurated transcontinental television service on September 4, 1951 when he made a speech to the nation. AT&T carried his address from San Francisco and it was viewed from the west coast to the east coast at the same time.

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